John Robert "Joe" Cocker OBE (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English rock and blues singer, born in Sheffield. He came to popularity in the 1960s, and was known for his gritty voice, his spasmodic body movement in performance and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of the Beatles. His cover of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" reached number one in the UK in 1968, and he performed the song live at Woodstock in 1969. His version also became the theme song for the TV series The Wonder Years. His 1975 cover of Billy Preston's "You Are So Beautiful", reached number five in the US. Cocker is the recipient of several awards, including a 1983 Grammy Award for his US number one "Up Where We Belong", a duet with Jennifer Warnes. In 1993 he was nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Male, in 2007 was awarded a bronze Sheffield Legends plaque in his hometown, and in 2008 he received an OBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music.
Links To Peel[]
Peel seemed to discover Joe Cocker in 1968 and played his first single for the Regal Zonophone label, "Marjorine", at least three times according to available playlists. Cocker and the Grease Band did two Top Gear sessions in 1968 and another one in 1969. On 3rd November 1968, Peel introduced Joe Cocker and the band at his gig at Mothers club in Birmingham.[1]. The repeat of the first session, on 14 July 1968, included "With A Little Help From My Friends". As Ken Garner points out in The Peel Sessions (p.53) it was the band's first ever recording of what became their biggest hit, and Peel played the single when it was released in September.
On 22 February 1970 Joe Cocker was meant to play a gig for the In Concert series, but had to cancel it with Deep Purple as the late replacement. Like other artists who did sessions for Top Gear in the late 1960s, Cocker had more success in the USA and spent much of his time there, so there were no more sessions from him in the 1970s. Among Cocker's backing musicians at that time was former Misunderstood guitarist and Peel hero Glenn Campbell. The DJ kept up some interest in Joe Cocker's music throughout the '70's, though, playing tracks from his albums as they were released.
He also produced Bill Oddie's version of the traditional Yorkshire song 'On Ilkla Moor Baht 'At' , sung (more or less) to the tune of Joe Cocker's version of 'With A Little Help From My Friends' and with backing by the Grease Band in the style of Cocker's recording. After Peel's death the record was found in his Record Box, but Joe Cocker himself wasn't represented in the box. His 1969 session version of "Delta Lady" was chosen by the DJ and producer John Walters to be played on the final Top Gear programme on 25 September 1975, and JP also revisited Cocker's 1969 LP version of Leonard Cohen's "Bird On The Wire" twice, in 2000.
Sessions[]
Three sessions. Some tracks available on Joe Cocker And The Grease Band – On Air, Strange Fruit, 1998.
1. Recorded: 1968-05-20. First Broadcast: 09 June 1968. Repeated: 14 July 1968.
- Something's Coming On/Marjorine/Mr Bus Driver/I Shall Be Released/With A Little Help From My Friends (broadcast on repeat only)
2. Recorded: 1968-10-07. First Broadcast:13 October 1968. Repeated: 17 November 1968
- Can't Be So Bad/ With A Little Help From My Friends/ Let's Go Get Stoned/ Run Shaker Life
3. Recorded: 1969-09-29. First Broadcast: 11 October 1969. Repeated: 17 January 1970, 26 September 1972
- Lawdy Miss Clawdy / Darling Be Home Soon / Hello Little Friend / Delta Lady
Other Shows Played[]
With A Little Help Of My Friends Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker's version of The Beatles "With A Little Help From My Friends" performed at Woodstock in 1969
- 1968
- 10 March 1968: Marjorine (7") Regal Zonophone RZ 3006
- 17 March 1968: Marjorine (7") Regal Zonophone RZ 3006
- 24 March 1968: Marjorine (7") Regal Zonophone RZ 3006
- 14 April 1968: Marjorine (7") Regal Zonophone RZ 3006
- 09 June 1968: I Shall Be Released
- 22 September 1968: With A Little Help From My Friends (7") Regal Zonophone RZ 3013
- 1969
- 11 June 1969: I Shall Be Released (LP - With A Little Help From My Friends) Regal Zonophone
- 21 September 1969: Delta Lady (single) Regal Zonophone
- 04 October 1969: Delta Lady (single) Regal Zonophone
- 08 November 1969: She Came In Through The Bedroom Window (single) A&M
- 22 November 1969: Hello, Little Friend (LP – Joe Cocker) A&M SP-4224
- 13 December 1969: She Came In Through The Bathroom Window (LP - Joe Cocker!) Regal Zonophone
- 27 December 1969: Lawdy Miss Clawdy (session)
- 1970
- 23 May 1970: I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends (3xLP – Woodstock) Atlantic
- 06 June 1970: The Letter (7") Regal Zonophone
- 27 June 1970: The Letter (7") Regal Zonophone
- 1971
- 14 August 1971: Something's Coming On
- 1972
- 30 June 1972: Woman To Woman (single) Cube
- 11 July 1972: Woman To Woman (single) Cube
- 18 July 1972: Woman To Woman (single) Cube
- 1975
- 10 March 1975: You Are So Beautiful (LP - I Can Stand A Little Rain) Cube
- 13 September 1975: (That's What I Like) In My Woman (LP - Jamaica Say You Will) Cube
- 13 September 1975: I Think It's Going To Rain Today (LP - Jamaica Say You Will) Cube
- 13 September 1975: Forgive Me Now (LP - Jamaica Say You Will) Cube
- 13 September 1975: It's All Over But The Shoutin' (LP - Jamaica Say You Will) Cube
- 30 September 1975: Where Am I Now (LP - Jamaica Say You Will) Cube
- 1976
- 30 June 1976: The Jealous Kind (album - Stingray) A&M SP-4574
- 28 July 1976: Worrier (LP - Stingray) A&M
- 1978
- 12 September 1978: Whiter Shade Of Pale
- 13 September 1978: 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine (LP-Luxury You Can Afford)' (Asylum)
- 14 September 1978: 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine (LP-Luxury You Can Afford)' (Asylum)
- 18 September 1978: 'What You Did To Me Last Night (LP-Luxury You Can Afford)' (Asylum)
- 03 October 1978: Fun Time (7") Asylum
- 30 October 1978: 'Fun Time (7")' (Asylum)
- 1979
- 08 January 1979: 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale (7")' (Asylum)
- 2000
- 23 May 2000: Bird On The Wire (album - Joe Cocker!) Regal Zonophone
- 25 May 2000 (Radio Eins): Bird On The Wire (album - Joe Cocker!) Regal Zonophone
Top Of The Pops[]
- 05 May 1983 (TOTP): With A Little Help From My Friends
See Also[]
- ABC Of Beauty
- UK Singles Chart Number Ones
- Singles Reviews
- Gigography 1968
- Gigography 1969
- Gigography 1972
- The Collection (Peel Acres - Eno Williams)